Seems appropriate to make my first blog post about pumpernickel. Mentioned in my intro post yesterday that it was Horst Bandel's Black Pumpernickel in Jeffrey Hamelman's book Bread that brought me to The Fresh Loaf. Growing up in multi-cultural Winnipeg, Manitoba, I was exposed to so many wonderful ryes. So while I was at baking school, I made whatever breads (and other things) we were assigned and then worked overtime on the ryes.

To say there's a learning curve with true pumpernickel is an understatment! Made JH's recipe countless times. Thought I'd share pictures of the first decent loaf I produced, along with the grateful and happy email I sent to  my instructor in the wee hours that day before graduation. I might flub picture posting this first try. Bear with me.

The final dough, ready for the pan:

After the long night's bake:

The crumb:

Email to my instructor (excerpt):

"Best graduation present ever! I seem to have cracked the pumpernickel at last. Not completely there yet, as you can see from the concave bit, centre top. But I think I know how to solve that, too. Several insights made the difference... But most importantly, I saw a reference in side note on page 216 that his Pullman pans are 13" long rather than our 16". Meant I was vastly overproofing by trying to get the bread close to the top of the pan. Even overproofed this one because it was supposed to get 50 to 60 minutes and could not believe that it seemed to be ready at 20! I turned the oven on to preheat, and the loaf continued to rise before my very eyes like time-lapse photography. That's what produced the concave bit, I would guess. Could think of no one I'd rather share this joy with! And yes, that is one of the school's Pullman pans. It's right by my front door to bring back today."

Jewish pumpernickel is one of my favorite breads. I have made it only a couple times before, once from Greenstein's recipe in "Sectets of a Jewish Baker" and once from Reinhart's recipe in BBA.

There was a time when I thought sourdough was this intimidating, terrifying, impossible thing that required constant work and dedication.

Today I use almost zero commercial yeast. I've found that I can ignore my starter for a lot longer than I had thought. The night before I want to use it I give it a good feeding and in the morning it's ready to be fed again or used right away. I'll usually feed it again to get a nice sour tang.

I bought a pack of Organic Chopped Rye for Pumpernickel from shipton mill in UK and a bit stuck as what to do with it -

my husband really likes Pumpernickel bagels and bread, but I haven't got the courage to try it out yet.

Any suggestions/recipes will be greatly appreciated

Thank you

HP

Hi all

Does anyone know of a good pumpernickel bagel?

Thank you

HP

What can you tell me about clear flour and its uses?  I have to chuckle at myself.  I recently found this on King Arthur baking site and thought - oh great - a clear flour to use for dusting my bannetons!  It won't even show!  Oh my goodness.  Well, at any rate I bought some and now I'm not sure what to do with it except that I know it is used in rye and pumpernickel.  I have not made these types of breads yet however am always on the lookout for some great tried and true recipes.  In the meantime this is what King Arthur says about it but please feel free to add all your kno

Hi,
I am a serious cook and baker, but novice bread baker. I am particulary interested in dense German rye breads using rye berries, and am wondering if there is one book that stands out in giving space to German breads alongside French and Italian styles. I know that the Village Baker has some German recipes, but I am wondering how The Bread Bakers' Apprentice compares in covering dense German breads.
For example, I'd like to know how little flour you can get away with, and how long the berries need to soak.